This invention relates generally to apparatus for transporting elongated cylindrical articles such as tubes. More particularly, it relates to apparatus for forming an assembly consisting of a single layer of tubes and an array of armatures therebelow and conveying the assembly to a station where it is deposited in a receptacle.
The apparatus of this invention has special application to the automatic conveying and boxing of fragile tubes which may or may not be composed of ferromagnetic material. It has been the practice to box such tubes by conveying them one by one to the mouth of the box and permitting them to drop a short distance therein. That practice not only damages a significant percentage of the tubes but also fails to deposit the tubes in symmetrical fashion, thus complicating subsequent recovery of the tubes from the box.
The known conveyor art includes tube conveyors in the form of movable trays, clamps, and belts, as well as electromagnets for transporting magnetic tubes. None of the known systems is considered highly suitable for conveying and boxing tubes in a manner preventing appreciable tube damage as well as unsymmetrical packing of the tubes in the storage container.